travel trade-offs

[marycatelli]

So I sent Susan to school on a train.  What could be simpler, letting the reader know that the story is steam-punk?  In that nice loose sense of steam technology in a magical world. . . .

Meanwhile Ariana got there on foot.  on a magical path that indulges in non-Euclidean geography to cover a great distance that its length should allow.  A path, furthermore, that is magically made and maintained by humans, who can make more.

Furthermore, when they set out to visit another school, in the mountains, they take those paths.

Something's got to give.

Freight trains and magical paths are one thing.  Just because they can lug their luggage doesn't mean that much larger transport would not be needed.  But passenger trains are not.  Unless there are complications with routes, and I don't think that would help.

But then, just about anything I described above could fix the problem by vanishing.  Susan's arriving by foot.  Wizards not having the power to create more paths.  Their going to the school afoot. . . .

Decisions, decisions. . . .

Comments

[whitefangedwolf.livejournal.com]

If you can magically shorten distances and create new right-of-ways, then using cable car/trolley car/tram tech to travel large distances becomes practical. Personally, I think it seems like the sort of thing steam-punk wizards would do. Historically, there were steam-driven trams, so steam could be used if it keeps the flavor better than other power options.

[marycatelli]

They can't create right-of-ways, alas. And because people can get on and off at any point, the distance shortening would be tricky for trains.

Would be useful if they could do it -- but it's wise never to make things too easy for your characters. 0:)